Guardian
by ShoukaMiko
Summary: Ok...So here's the rundown.Kagome is a guardian angel with a very predictable assignment.Inuyasha is a troubled teen in love with a memory, but settles for a look a like with a cold disposition.Is anyone going to end up happy at the end of this? Man, I ho
1. The Assignment

Guardian

By: ShoukaMiko

Chapter 1: The Assignment

_Blanket Disclaimer for **Guardian**: I don't own Inuyasha , its characters, songs, or any other songs I put on here by other groups._

A burst of light erupted through the already cheerfully bright surroundings of heaven. Two angel's stopped by the ball of light to observe its swirling, glittery depths.

" A rookie huh?" the younger angel asked. It had not yet taken on any form preferring to stay a being of light for the time.

"Barely created I'd say." This stately figure was more solid and more feminine in appearance. She gave a warm smile toward the new comer that could be felt more than seen. "She's very strong." The elder remarked as they continued to look into the orbs depths. "Welcome cherub." She said as both angels walked away cheerful about being able to have seen a bright new light be created.

"Cherub?" The ball of light thought to itself. It sensed its Creator near and decided to gravitate that way to find out more about itself. "Master?"

The Creator smiled at his new creation. A warm loving voice emanated out of him. " Yes my child, I have been expecting you."

Feeling more at piece now, the light being began "Who am I? Why was I created? What…?"

The Creator chuckled warmly, "Not so fast, I'll answer all your questions little one. Not to worry." With that he picked up one hand and as the light being watched, a mist began to swirl above his hand until she was able to see an image of a tall gentleman with streaks of purple across his cheeks and long silver hair that was tied at the nape of his neck. With his other hand, the Creator held his hand over the bright presence. A small flash of light and the orb pulsed slightly.

"Master what was that?" The orb asked.

"I imparted knowledge onto you. You did not know what to make of the image in my hand before. Now look again, and tell me what you feel and know."

The being of light looked again at the moving image in her master's hand.

"A youkai? A demon but not just any demon, he's a taiyoukai. He's a leader." The image pulled back to reveal the stately youkai was holding something in his arms, and at his side was a beautiful woman with a soft face and extremely long, raven black hair.

"I feel their happiness." The orb continued. "Their love for what the taiyoukai is holding." The image swirled in on the baby in the arms of the loving father. The baby had the beginnings of what would become a beautiful mane of silver hair and as the orb and Creator watched two little, triangular puppy ears twitched at the top of his head.

The orb gravitated closer to the image of the sleeping baby, drawn by it almost as if he were calling out to it.

"He's the reason, isn't he? He is why I was created."

The Creator nodded and looked warmly at the child, sadness in his eyes. "I have made you stronger than I usually do because he will need all the guidance and protection you can give him."

The orb floated puzzled by this new information. "But why? This family seems so loving and happy."

The Creator continued to smile down sadly at the image in his hand. "I have foreseen that his parents will be joining us before much longer." He turned to the glittering orb seriously, "You must be there in his time of need. You may do whatever necessary to keep him happy and safe. Just remember," at this he looked at the orb sternly. "You will not tamper with _anyone's_ free will or there will be consequences…is that understood?"

"Yes Master." The orb glowed dimmer with apprehension.

The Creator's face softened once again and he gave a smile that seemed to warm the orb's entire being inside out. 'Pure Love' it thought, 'that's what that smile is.' The orb savored the warmth of it and memorized the feeling to store away for later.

" Go then, you have tarried here long enough." With a wave of his hand the being sent the little orb gravitating quickly toward earth.

Before she left sight of the creator, the orb called back, "Wait! I don't know what I am still, and what form should I take?"

The creator's smile brightened, "You're a guardian angel my sweet one! You'll know what form is best when the time comes! Take good care of your charge!"

With that the orb disappeared amongst the clouds and mist, leaving the Creator to look after it pensively.

"Take good care of him…we may need his help someday."

The orb entered the room quietly. It look at it's surroundings. Sterile bottles and gloves, many clear box like structures that seemed to be holding… babies? The orb drifted closer and as she did she felt tugged toward a certain one. She gravitated over the sleeping hanyou. The little baby whimpered, tossing and turning, ears twitching and strong little legs kicking its tiny blanket off. The orb touched auras with the baby her blue one against his red. It felt the baby's need for a maternal figure and so elongated her light form and made it more feminine. She then brought forth a beautiful, gentle voice to soothe the child.

"Be still little one… I'm here now." She reached a hand of light out to touch the baby's head and immediately it quieted and cooed. It opened brilliant gold eyes and seemed to see the luminescent figure before him. The small gold chain around it's neck with his father's fang glowed slightly as he reached out for the being. The being ruffled the little half dog demon's silvery hair, softer than duckling fluff. The baby smiled and twitched it's tiny ears. The light being laughed softly and tweaked the soft little appendages, then pulled the small blanket up and tucked it around the infant. "Rest now little one. You've had quite a day."

With that baby Inuyasha sighed contentedly and fell into a pleasant sleep.


	2. A Heart Too Innocent

**Guardian**

**By: ShoukaMiko**

**Chapter 2: A Heart Too Innocent**

_Blanket Disclaimer for **Guardian**: I don't own Inuyasha, its characters, songs, or any other songs I put on here by other groups._

The child walked toward his father. He was struggling to keep his face void or emotion, but the little dog demon couldn't help his annoyed frown. His long silver hair whipped about in the slight breeze as the stripe cheeked seven year old marched determinedly up to his father, who was trying just as hard to hide his amusement.

Wrapping his hand around the bottom half of his mouth, the Inu No Taisho cleared his throat of the laugh that was threatening to surface before he trusted himself to speak to his son.

"Sesshomaru, is there something you wish to tell me?" The boy's father asked warmly.

The youth flipped his hair indignantly over his small shoulder and blinked his cool amber eyes before addressing the older youkai.

"Father, Inuyasha is being foolish again."

"Is that so? What has he done to warrant your disapproval this time son?" The inu youkai asked his too serious first born. His golden eyes brightened in merriment over his purpled streaked cheekbones. In his opinion, his elder son was much too serious and formal for his young years.

The little dog demon shifted from foot to foot eager to get his news out.

"Well… he…" The little youkai scratched at the crescent moon on his forehead, then took a big breath and started explaining at a hundred miles an hour.

"He was crawling on his blanket by the flowers and I told him not to, but he did it anyway 'cause he never listens to me, so he went over to a flower and he grabbed it in his hand, and now he's holding onto it and I can't get him to let go of it, even when I said I'd tell you, and I know you told me not to touch them' cause they'll hurt me…"

"What'll end up hurting you Sesshy-kun?" Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's mother walked out of the house into the warm spring sun light carrying a tray of ice tea. She smiled warmly at her stepson.

Sesshomaru heaved a deep sigh and pouted as he whined pitifully, "Mootheerrr! I told you not to call me that, I'm the son of the great Inu no Taisho. What if someone heard you? I'll be a laughing stock!"

The young mother smiled as apologetically as she could while holding back her chuckle.

"I beg your pardon dear. Now what were you saying a moment ago?"

The silver haired boy frowned in concentration for a second, one claw scratching the top of his head in thought.

"Oh, yeah!" Sesshomaru piped up enthusiastically, before trying to resume his calm expression.

"Inuyasha caught a bee in his hand and he won't let go of it."

Both mother and father exchanged panicked glances.

"**WHAT?**"

They dashed to the side of the one year old. He had been in plain sight, but had remained strangely quiet the entire time. At their approach, his tiny triangular ears twitched back, then he half turned where he sat. His big golden eyes looked up innocently at his worried parents. His little fist was indeed closed over something that was making a loud buzzing noise.

He saw his mother drop down quickly next to him and his father putting a hand on her shoulder to stay her.

"Easy Izayoi, if he gets scared he might panic and make the bee sting him." Inuyasha's father said with a calmness he was far from feeling. His silver hair, that was currently pulled into a samurai style pony tail, brushing the side of his wife's shoulder as he too crouched down over her and the baby.

"Koinu-kun, give mommy the buggy." Inuyasha's mother cooed to the child, holding out her own hand.

Inuyasha's sun dappled face continued to look up innocently at his mother and father. He turned his attention back to his closed fist where the bee was fluttering its wings and tickling his palm. Then he looked over to his right for a long minute.

The bright being sent calming messages to the bee in the baby inu-hanyou's hand. She kept telling it that it was safe and not to panic. The angel had been showing Inuyasha the bee and felt guilty that his parents were so concerned.

"Inuyasha." The angel said drawing the little baby's attention. The baby turned bright eyes toward the angel. Her golden and glowing, feminine form making him smile slightly. "It's time to let Mr. Bee go."

She could feel his sadness at having to let his interesting new play thing go. She smiled understandingly at the baby.

"You'll see him again soon. Right now though, he has to go home and eat. Just like you do."

Inuyasha looked down at his fist then up at his guardian angel again. He smiled at his angel and let out a little burble.

"Of course I'll help you say goodbye to him."

With that the angel sat behind Inuyasha. She helped him cup both hands together gently and put her own golden, transparent hands cupped over his tiny ones.

"Ready? Together now…1…2…3!"

The Inu no Taisho and his wife both gasped when Inuyasha moved to take the bee in both hands. They expected at any moment he would start yelling, screaming, and crying in pain of the inevitable bee sting…that never came. Izayoi started to lunge for him but his father's hand was still firmly planted oh her shoulder pulling her gently back.

The silver haired, wild banged, baby raised his tiny, cupped hands into the air and slowly opened them. The bee, none the worse for its ordeal, crawled forward a bit, then launched off of the little inu hanyou's fingers. The baby waved good-bye to his little friend, and then finally turned to look back at his parents, who immediately swooped him up.

Izayoi took Inuyasha's little hands into her own, and searched every little crevice before raising them to her lips and kissing the middle of each palm.

"So did that baka brother of mine get stung by the bee?" Sesshomaru asked eyeing his little half brother with barely concealed interest.

The beautiful woman breathed a sigh of relief. With her dark, dramatic, brown eyes she turned to the eldest child and placed a gentle hand on his silver, straight hair.

"Amazingly enough, that bee just didn't want to sting anyone today." Then she paused, remembering what else her seven year old had said.

"Sesshomaru! You shouldn't be calling your brother a baka! Where did you learn such a word?"

Sesshomaru puffed his little chest out proudly.

"Father said it when a baka went in front of us when he was driving me to school. Didn't you say that bakas like that shouldn't be allowed on the road? Didn't you father?"

This last was said with Sesshomaru's eyes wide open in question. He waited patiently for his father to answer him. The Tai youkai gave his wife, who was currently glaring daggers at him, a sheepish grin.

"Nevertheless son, Inuyasha is your brother," The youkai said, casting glances over at his wife to see if he had redeemed himself. "And he is only a baby, he has much to learn."

Sesshomaru's eyebrows came together over his red eyelids as he pouted.

"I still think he's a baka."

"Am NOT!"

"Are TOO!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"I'm not a baka! I just don't know what it is!" Inuyasha frowned as his brother taunted him further.

"Well baka! It's not something me and father are, that's for sure!"

"So what is it?" Inuyasha asked, a slight whined entering his tone as he grew tired of his brother's teasing.

Sesshomaru lifted his chin, taking on a superior air that any lord would have been proud of, let alone a ten year old.

"Like I said, if you don't know, I'm not telling you." With that, the tall fifth grader walked away, hair swaying down by the legs of his jeans.

Inuyasha frowned and turned around in search of his mother. The four-year-old was confused at why the other children had called him that name. Both human and demon alike had taunted him, kept his ball from him. Now, his brother seemed even to be ashamed of him.

He couldn't understand his brother sometimes. Since his dad had died, nearly a year ago, Sesshomaru had almost seemed as if he were blocking out that their dad was gone. Inuyasha was only three at the time, but he could sense the loss. What he could also sense was that everything would be okay. He remembered the times when he was the saddest, that there was someone there to make him feel better. Something warm, and bright and… that smelled wonderful. Kind of like a mix of candy and flowers. He remembered feeling it today when the other kids wouldn't give him his ball. It helped him feel better but he was still confused. So he decided to go to the smartest person he knew. His mom.

"Mother?" Inuyasha called out, his bare feet plodding softly on the floor. He still didn't like wearing shoes. They were too uncomfortable. He went about, calling for her throughout the house. His hair flayed his back like silver whips, in stark contrast of his favorite red shirt and dark blued carpenter jeans, as he grew more and more frantic at his unanswered calls.

Finally, he skidded to a stop in their garden out in back of the large two-story house. When Inuyasha's father was killed, he had left the family very comfortable financially.

So they were able to keep their estate and money. The garden had become a retreat for the remaining family. A place where they could go and remember happier times.

His mother was there now. She still preferred to dress in the traditional styles. Izayoi, in her bright kimonos, always reminded Inuyasha of a princess in a fairy tale.

He ran to her now, encircling his arms around her legs and burying his face in her stomach.

"Inuyasha dear, what's the matter?" The beautiful, doe eyed woman's voice was at once warm and comforting as she brought the small child into her embrace.

"Mother…" Inuyasha's uneasy golden eyes stared up into his mother's rich brown ones, before asking the question that had been plaguing him.

"What's a half breed?"

Inuyasha's mother looked shocked for a moment. Then her beautiful eyes clouded with tears and the small droplets rolled down her cheeks to land on Inuyasha's upturned face. His mother drew him into an even tighter hug, and as he turned his head to rest his ear against her, he could hear her stilted breathing. He decided right then and there, at the age of four, that he would never trouble his mother with his problems again.

The angel floated a short distance away, looking on at the heartbreaking scene. A mother, reluctant to show her sweet little boy what a cruel, unforgiving world he was born into, and a child, to innocent to know that it wasn't his fault he was different.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha." The angel whispered. "There's just some things not even _I_ can protect you from."

One glittering, golden tear rolled down the angel's cheek to her chin. The solitary drop lingered for a moment then fell. As the tear hit the ground, a flower blossomed, stretching out it's soft white petals towards heaven.

**A/N:**

Sorry everybody. I know this was late in coming. I've been a little busy of late. Yeah, I know…excuses, excuses… I am going to try to be more consistent though. Hopefully I'll be caught up on **Life Sucks** by tonight as well. Let's cross our fingers shall we? 

_YAAAAAAAAAYYYYY! _

I love getting encouraging reviews. Keep sending them; it's good for my ego! giggles 

_Here are the latest shout outs!_

MMorg

**crescentmoon **_(thanks for the encouragement )_

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**KHStennis01 **_and_ **AngelWing1138 **_(You guys so ROCK!)_


	3. Imaginary Friend

**Guardian**

**By: ShoukaMiko**

**Chapter 3: Imaginary Friend**

_Blanket Disclaimer for **Guardian**: I don't own Inuyasha, its characters, songs, or any other songs I put in said fanfic by other groups._

"I can smell you ya know. I can't see you, but I can smell you." Inuyasha said out loud to his room. He was coloring a picture for his mother. He always made a picture for his mother on bad days. He made them when the other kids teased him, when they called him half-breed, dirty blood, dog face or anything else they came up with. Those kids came up with new names everyday. He never told his mom though. He wanted her to think that he was normal, that he wasn't a freak, so he made her pictures. Like all the other kids made for their parents.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" A beautiful young woman's voice asked back. The sound was warm and cheerful. Inuyasha smiled, but kept coloring.

"I think it's a good thing. You smell good."

The girl's disembodied voice laughed. "Thank you. You don't exactly stink either."

Inuyasha giggled lightly, then held his picture up triumphantly in the general direction of the voice. "What do you think?"

The angel floated in for a closer look. "It's beautiful. It looks like your mom is reading you a story in the garden and …"

"Sesshy is playing Frisbee in his transformed body. See I drew him with it in his mouth." Inuyasha beamed while the angel did her best not to laugh out right at the drawing of the inu hanyou's big brother, in his full dog demon form, a red Frisbee in his slobbering mouth.

The bright eyed boy frowned, looking back down at the picture in his little clawed hands. "I can't wait 'til I can transform. Mom says I'm not old enough yet, I'm only six."

"I'm sure it will come when you least expect it." The girl's voice piped up cheerfully.

Inuyasha's eyebrows drew together in speculation. Looking up at his seemingly empty room. "Hey what are you anyway?"

The entity was taken aback by the question for a second before answering.

"I'm your guardian angel… but if you let me…I'd also like to be your friend."

The puppy ears at the top of the boy's head flattened against his scalp as his eyes became like two large pools of trapped sunshine, his picture falling out of his loose hand.

Wondering if she said something wrong, the angel's aura turned an anxious shade of yellow. "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I didn't mean to startle you, I just thought…"

"You really want to be my friend?

The angel was abruptly silenced by the quiet question. She looked at the silver haired boy, his eyes full of hope and ears flat against his head in apprehension. "Of course I do. Why would you ask me such a question Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's ears went even further back if possible and his eyes flickered downward in shame.

"Because…I'm…different."

The angel floated closer, wrapping her warm, soothing aura around her charge like a blanket. The boy felt a wonderful peace and sighed, trying to snuggle into the very air around him.

"Inuyasha, different doesn't mean bad, it's just different. Sometimes people are afraid of what they are not used to. That's all."

The tiny half demon sighed, "That's what mama says. The kids at school still tease me though. Maybe I'm too different. Maybe I am a freak." Inuyasha's eyes drooped, a sadness overtaking his young aura.

The angel did her best to quiet it, before continuing, "Inuyasha, there is no such thing as too different. Being different makes us who we are. I mean, do you think it would be good if everyone were like Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the thought and stuck out his tongue, " No. Sesshomaru is kind of mean sometimes."

"Well then, be grateful you didn't turn out like him." The angel said laughing at the expression of disgust on Inuyasha's little face.

"How come I can't see you?" Inuyasha blinked a couple of times, trying to see if that helped him see his new friend.

"It didn't seem very important before. Besides, angels like to stay as secret as we can. You see we want to help and take care of people. But sometimes, when people know we're around, they act different from how they normally act, and sometimes it is for the better, but that is dangerously close to taking away their free will."

"What's that? Free will? What does that mean?" Inuyasha asked, his eye brows contracting in confusion.

"Free will is what all people have. That means you can do what you want, when you want…" The still invisible angel started.

"No I can't. My mom won't let me stay up past nine." The little inu hanyou said, shaking his head vigorously, ears flopping back and forth.

"You have the choice of disobeying her don't you? It just means you'll get into trouble, but you always have a choice." The angel said patiently. "Taking away someone's free will is making them do something they don't want to do, taking away their choice."

"Oh, I think I get it now." The half demon whispered pensively. "If people see you all the time, then they will be good, and do nice things even if they don't want to. What's so bad about that?"

The angel smiled, making the room smell more sweetly. "They have to want to do it on their own, Inuyasha. They have to want to be good, for the sake of being good, not because someone is watching them or making them do it. When you do something nice because you want people to watch you be nice, then you're being selfish, and only hurting your self. When you're nice because you really want to help, you end up helping everyone, and your heart gets stronger too."

"Ok…I still want to see you though. I already know you're here. I promise to keep you a secret. I won't tell people you're my angel, I'll just tell them you're my friend. Pleeeeaaasssee!" Inuyasha begged, eyes big and ears perked and twitching.

The angel laughed, 'For a six year old,' she thought, 'he sure knows how to use his assets.'

"All right, all right. Here…" The room brightened as a glow in the shape of a woman came into being. "How's this?"

"Cool." Inuyasha looked at her thoughtfully for a minute before speaking again. "Do you come with a remote?"

The angel floated back a bit in surprise, "A remote? Whatever for?"

"Well you look like our T.V. when it gets all funny. I can see your color but I can't see your face or anything." The hanyou walked up to the glowing figure and put a hand in her glowing aura. He wiggled his fingers in the golden light and smiled, interested at how his hand looked like it was made of gold. "I mean, I can see right through you and everything."

"What am I supposed to look like?" The angel asked a bit perturbed now. She hadn't thought about what form she should take since she came down to protect Inuyasha.

"Hmmm…" The silver haired little boy and took a step back to observe his now visible friend. The angel resisted the strong urge to laugh. The six year old looked for all the world like Michelangelo pondering over how he was going to paint his next big masterpiece. "Well…"

"Inuyasha. Would you like to go to the market with me?" Izayoi appeared at the door. She worried about her son and all the time he spent alone. She wanted more than anything to find him someone to play with. Seeing him now standing in the middle of his room, she fought to keep a smile on her face, for his sake.

"Mother look! Look what I made you!" Inuyasha brightened up on seeing his mom. He always tried to smile for her. He didn't like making his mommy sad. He ran to his picture that had fallen on the floor earlier and presented it to his mom.

"It's beautiful Inuyasha." Izayoi smiled warmly at her son. She knew her son was only trying to please her.

"Oh, mama! I have someone I want you to meet." Inuyasha said hopping up and down excitedly.

"Inuyasha…" The angel cautioned.

"Who dear?" Izayoi said, nearly as excited as Inuyasha. Had Inuyasha finally been abvle to make a little friend?

"She's right here." Inuyasha said looking in his protector's direction.

"Inuyasha…" the angel started again.

"She? Honey, are you hiding?" Izayoi asked as she went to peek under Inuyasha's bed to see if the little girl she was expecting, would pop out any minute.

"Dear, come out. It's ok. I'm not mad you're here. No one's going to hurt you."

"But mother," Inuyasha said frowning at his mother's soft featured face in confusion, "she's right here."

"Where dear?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you Inuyasha." The angel said quickly before the child could interrupt her again. "The only one who can see me or hear me is you unless it's really important, and my boss says it's ok."

"Oh." Inuyasha though pausing to look from his mother who was looking right past the spot where his glowing friend was and obviously seeing nothing.

"It's ok mom. She told me that I'm the only one who can see or hear her."

Izayoi's eyes left the closet door which was slightly ajar, to look slowly, and a bit sadly at her son. She understood now. 'It seems Inuyasha made himself up a friend.' The beautiful woman gazed fondly at her baby boy.

"Is that so. Well aren't you going to introduce us Inuyasha?" Izayoi said playing along.

"Yeah!" Inuyasha said enthusiastically. "Mama this is… Hey what's your name anyway?" He said looking to his left at, from his mother's point of view, empty air.

The angel's aura pulsed once in confusion. "My name?"

"Yeah, your name." Inuyasha drawled out as if he were talking to someone much younger than he was. "You know. What are you called? Everybody has a name."

Izayoi watched this apparently one-sided conversation in almost awe. She never knew what a strong imagination Inuyasha had.

"I was never given a name. Maybe you can give me one." The angel suggested.

"Ok!" Inuyasha said brightening at the possibility of being able to not only mold his angel's appearance, but to also give her a name. He turned to his mom who looked slightly lost.

"Oh, she says that I can name her and since she's just a big gold blob right now…"

"Hey!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the angel and continued past his friend's emotional outburst. "I can tell her what she's supposed to look like."

Izayoi smiled at her son before dragging him into a hug. "Well that was generous of her."

"Nah," Inuyasha said pushing away from his mother slightly to look at her while he whispered conspiratorially "You know what?"

"No what?" Inuyasha's mother whispered back, trying desperately not to laugh.

"I think she needs me to take care of her. I mean she's not very smart." Inuyasha whispered gesturing in back of him.

"Excuse me! I can hear you ya know!" The angel cried out indignantly planting a shimmering fist on her hip and planting a golden hand where her forehead might have been. She might be only six years old as well, but she was a quick study of human behavior.

"Well you don't even know who you are!" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder, detaching himself from his mother at last.

"I know who I am." The glimmer said pulsing slightly in frustration. "I just don't know what my name is!"

"Whatever." Inuyasha said folding his little arms in front of his chest and closing his eyes against her haughtily in a pose the angel would come to know very well.

"Well Inuyasha," his mother said straightening, "you will probably be able to find some ideas for your new friend at the market if we hurry. Go and put your shoes on so we can get going, ok?"

"Mooom…. Shoes?" Inuyasha whined pitifully.

"Yes shoes. Hurry Inuyasha, we have a lot to do today." So saying Izayoi walked out the door.

"Ok, ok." The little half demon said resigned. "Come on." Inuyasha said to the golden feminine outline of his angel. "You can help me look for my other Nike."

The angel sighed and shook her head, heading toward his hamper where Inuyasha had chucked his shoe in a fit earlier.

"I need you taking care of me like you need a hearing aid." The angel mumbled to herself as she went to retrieve the spurned shoe.

"I heard that!"

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The market was bright and sunny. Many delicious smells wafted through the air from different vendors selling everything from shrimp tempura, to spices, fish, clothing, and anything else you can imagine of an open air market. Izayoi held Inuyasha's hand as she shopped for the various groceries they needed. The golden, evanescent , angel trailed slightly behind them as Sesshomaru trailed even further behind. The twelve year old could swear he continuously smelled a half sweet, half floral scent, but made no comment. His stepmother was probably just wearing a new perfume. He was getting increasingly irritated at his half brother's new game. The fool was going to shame all of them with his idiotic ways and if his mother didn't do something about it, then maybe he would. For now, the cold eyed, stiff backed youth decided to keep quiet and bide his time.

"How about…Kiba? That's a pretty cool name." Inuyasha said talking over his shoulder at the floating angel behind him.

"Fang? You're going to call me fang? Inuyasha I'm an angel not a dog…uh…no offense." The angel said while looking around but looking sharply back at her charge with the last comment.

"I'm a dog youkai. Not a dog. There's a big difference." The boy said nonchalantly to what looked like empty space to anyone else.

"Enough with the names for right now," the angel said as they turned into a stall that had different kinds of decorative knick-knacks, "What am I going to look like? I mean besides a big gold blob." She said this last sarcastically eyeing a marble dragon, and immediately after getting a mischievous pink glow to her aura.

"Well…AAAaaahh!" Inuyasha yelped at looking over his shoulder. A life sized gold dragon staring him in the face, mouth agape and pearl teeth shining.

The dragon giggled.

"Inuyasha are you ok? Did you hurt yourself on something?" The boy's mother asked, turning him from side to side to examine him as he glared off into seemingly empty space.

"I'm fine mom. My new friend is just being a baka." So saying he stuck his tongue out at the dragon, who chuckled and dissipated back into her usual form.

"Inuyasha, you know I don't like that word." Izayoi scolded gently.

"Besides Inuyasha," his twelve-year-old half brother said looking at him side ways, a sword shaped letter opener in his hand, "aren't you a bit old for imaginary friends?"

"Imaginary friend?" Inuyasha asked turning to his mother. "What's that?"

"It means that your friend is fake Inuyasha, that it's not real." Sesshomaru answered before Izayoi could respond.

"That's not true! She is too real! Take it back!" Inuyasha yelled at his brother.

"No, because I'm right and you know it." Sesshomaru said raising his voice slightly and narrowing his eyes even more slightly.

"Are not!"

"Am too"

"Are Not!"

"Am Too!"

"ARE NOT!"

"AM TOO!"

"Boys that's enough!" Izayoi said at the same time Inuyasha's angel cried out "Inuyasha please stop!"

The composure Sesshomaru worked on for most of his young life seemed to always unravel when he was dealing with his brother. His eyes that had flashed red a moment before calmed into their usual indifferent gaze. Inuyasha's knuckles crackled at his sides, trying to resist the urge to go and kick his older brother in the shins.

"Sesshomaru, could you please go and buy me some dried shitake mushrooms?" Izayoi asked before the boys could say anything else to each other. She reached into her purse and drew out some money. "Here, and you can buy yourself a little something too."

Sesshomaru took the money, nodded to his step mother and left, leaving a very disheartened looking hanyou in his wake.

"Mother."

"Yes, Inuyasha." Izayoi said, looking down at the pained face of her youngest son.

"You believe she's real, right?" The six year old asked, eyes pleading desperately to his mother to believe in him.

"If you do, I do." She said, smiling and ruffling his hair, making his ears flop back and forth a little.

"Just checking." Inuyasha said as he walked with a little more confidence around the stand they were at.

"Inuyasha, we still haven't discussed what I'm going to look like." The golden figure said picking a small dove off the table. A lady passing by saw the floating figurine and didn't register what had happened until she had walked a few steps past. She did a double take only to find the figurine lying undisturbed on the table. Shaking her head she walked on, several bags of vegetables in tow.

Inuyasha looked over at the dove figurine his guardian angel had picked up, it's wings outstretched as if in flight. His face lit up, golden eyes almost glowing.

"Wings!"

"Huh?" The female form turned in his direction, confused by the outburst.

"Did you say something Inuyasha?" his mother asked, a few tables of ornamental dishes and figurines away.

"No mom." He called over to her. Then lowering his voice to speak to his angel friend. "Everyone knows angels have wings. It's like a rule or something." Inuyasha loudly and enthusiastically whispered.

The angel tilted her golden, translucent head a bit in thought. "The angels I saw when I was created didn't have wings…"she said trying to remember back.

"Well all the pictures we see of angels and stuff here have wings, so they must have wings on earth." Inuyasha said nodding and crossing his arms in a matter-of-fact way.

"Well, if that's what you say they look like…" She said doubtfully. She opened up her golden arms and concentrated. Two golden wings sprouted from between her shoulder blades, transparent as the rest of her body.

"No, no, no." Inuyasha used a tone, very much like one would use scolding a disobedient puppy. He turned to the table and held up the dove figurine for her inspection. "Like this but with real feathers and stuff.

"Well you didn't say anything about that." The angel pouted, a bit of a sulk to her tone. She stretched out her new appendages, and as she did, beautiful white feathers spread like a small white wildfire down the length of the wings. Both angel and half demon inspected the new additions to the golden being's body.

"Cool." Inuyasha said, a bit in awe.

"Uh huh." The angel folded and unfolded her wings experimentally; entranced by her new play things.

After a moment, the now winged angel pried her eyes off of the beginnings of her new form and turned back to her charge. She studied the fluffy, triangular ears at the top of his head and smiled. Now they were both different. Good, she'd be able to relate to him better. "Now what?" She asked of the little inu hanyou who was still gawking.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, let's see…" The hanyou said getting a thoughtful and now very enthusiastic look on his face now that he saw the results of his new friend's game.

"Ok, why don't we try her hair." He said while pointing to a girl with brown, short hair with razor straight bangs.

The angel bowed her own head and as she did, grew the same style hair. "How's this?"

Inuyasha stepped back to view the results critically, then shook his head. "Nah, how about…he looked around for another example. Something black and shiny caught the corner of his eye. He looked over and found his mother tossing her beautiful long, black, lustrous hair over her shoulder and watched as it fell into place.

"That's it! Just like mama's hair! Do it like that!" Inuyasha golden eyes lit up as he looked back toward his angel. The angel tossed her short brown hair, and as she did it elongated and became darker and silkier until it mirrored that of Inuyasha's mother. Inuyasha nodded satisfactorily. "Yeah like that…wait." He squinted at his angel who stood still for his inspection. Then Inuyasha sighed dramatically.

"Mother always has to spend forever on her hair because it's so long. I like your hair long but it won't be any fun if I have to wait for you to fix it all the time."

"Inuyasha," the angel said dryly, "I'm kind of not human. my hair is what I make it to be. I don't have to worry about fixing it if I don't want to."

"Still…" Inuyasha stubbornly insisted, "it might get in the way of your new wings so lets make it a little bit shorter. Like to right here." He indicated the middle of her back as he walked around his friend ducking behind an unfolded wing to be able to see the results. The hair shortened and Inuyasha opened his mouth to say more when he was interrupted.

"Inuyasha. We're moving on to the next stand. Hurry up now. I don't want you getting lost." Inuyasha's mother called out to her son who appeared to be a bit zoned out.

"Coming!" Inuyasha called to his mother. "Let's go!" he said as he took off at a jog, leaving his angel to catch up. The angel smiled inwardly to herself as she dematerialized only to reappear before Inuyasha making him skid to a halt in front of her. He narrowed his eyes at his angel accusingly. "Show off."

The angel chuckled allowing her straight hair to fall forward. As the two walked, or rather, one walked the other glided, next to each other they kept modifying the angel's look. Her form was still a transparent gold, but now she had the addition of her big, white-feathered wings and straight, long black hair…

Which Inuyasha was frowning at once again.

"Your big ol' wings are making your head look kind of small now." The silver haired half demon bluntly stated as they walked along side his mother.

"Well I'm not about to change the size of my head." The angel said a bit indignantly. "I have it on good authority that my head is just the right size for my body."

"Whatever. It still looks like your head is too small." Inuyasha said turning to look at a toy car display to his right. His mother, listening in on the "conversation" smiled and chuckled under her breath. It couldn't hurt if she played Inuyasha's game with him after all.

"Sweetie, why don't you tell your friend with the wings that sometimes changing it's hair style will make it's head look a little bigger. It does have hair right?" Izayoi asked warm eyes pretending to survey her sons "imaginary friend". She was only about three feet off this time.

"Yeah! We could make your hair puffier!" Inuyasha said waiting and watching his friend for results.

"Puffier?" The angel said as it stopped gliding to figure out what that could mean.

"Yeah, you know like bigger this way watch." With that the little hanyou dropped to all fours and started shaking himself like a wet dog. When he stood back up, his shiny silver hair was very messy and all over the place but very much puffier. Both ladies tilted their head backs and started laughing at the six-year-olds antics. Inuyasha frowned and folded his arms in front of him, taking on a defensive stance as he pouted. "Well kind of like that anyway."

The angel looked around for a source of inspiration when she spotted an American fashion magazine. She shook her head and waited for her charge's reaction. He burst out laughing at his angel who now had an enormous afro.

"Not that puffy!" He laughed doubled over with his giggle fit.

The angel heaved a sigh and looked around. She saw a woman with wavy, slightly wind blown hair and full bangs that were a bit bouncy and not terribly straight. By the time Inuyasha stopped giggling and finally looked up. He saw his winged friends new hair style and started clapping. "That's it! Good job. Now we need to find you a body." They both looked around, Kagome changed form with every person they passed by, short and squat, tall and skinny, and everything in between. Finally, Izayoi stopped to buy the boys lunch now that Sesshomaru had rejoined them. They sat down at the benches.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." Inuyasha declared as he stuffed a rice ball into his mouth. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and took more care in eating his. As a full youkai, he didn't necessarily need to eat, but ate more out of habit anyway.

"Don't you ever get hungry?" He asked the angel who was playing with a feather she had plucked from her wing.

She looked up and shook her head deliberately, relishing the feeling of her new hair as it fell about her. "Angels don't get hungry, or sleepy or anything like that. We just…are."

Sesshomaru who couldn't hear any of this snorted. "How could something that isn't real be hungry?" He asked of his brother condescendingly. His brother, however, had his ears perked in a different direction. As if he were genuinely listening in on some inaudible conversation. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes as Inuyasha's ears twitched in obvious attention and interest. 'Something has to be wrong with him.' He thought.

Both hanyou and angel kept looking around for the right body for her, yet none of them seemed quite right. Finally Inuyasha saw something in the stand across the way from where his family was having lunch. His eyes widened as he looked at it more. Before anyone could stop him or even say anything he took off like a rocket.

"Come on! Follow me! I found it!"

"Inuyasha! Come back and finish eating. Where are you going?" His mother called out somewhat distressed. Sesshomaru just sighed, shook his head, and continued eating.

"Look that's perfect! Isn't it? Isn't it perfect?" He asked of his winged friend.

"You want me to be a fountain?" The angel asked doubtfully, eyeing the thing as it poured water out of various areas.

"No! Look at the girl on the fountain! I don't like the face much but the rest of her is all right." Inuyasha said as his mother came up behind him.

"Inuyasha! You know better than to run off like that." Izayoi scolded, none the less relieved Inuyasha had not run very far.

"Look mom! Isn't it perfect?" The little half demon gestured wildly toward the statue.

Izayoi looked up at the beautiful little fountain and smiled. "It is quite nice isn't it? Sesshomaru? What do you think of adding this to our little garden out back?"

Sesshomaru looked up, eyed the fountain stoically for a moment, then shrugged and nodded his approval.

Inuyasha wasn't watching the fountain anymore though. His attention was now directed at his friend who was once again changing. Her body turned from it's transparent gold state to become more solid. A beautiful, white Grecian gown flowed to the tips of her bare tanned feet. Golden cords crisscrossed over a voluptuous bosom and across her abdomen and slim waist. The almost fluid material draped over curvy hips and long legs.

The angel, still lacking a face looked down at herself. "Not too bad Inuyasha. I kind of like it. Inuyasha beamed and looked at where her face should have been.

He looked to see where his mother was and saw her haggling with the sales person not too far away. "Ok, let's get the rest of you finished already." He looked around, giddy with anticipation at being able to finally see a nearly completed angel.

"I like the shape of her face." The Hanyou pointed a claw at a five-year-old girl with a sweet heart shaped face.

"I like those eyes." He was now looking at the gentle, brown eyes of a deer figurine.

"I like that nose and that mouth." He said finally pointing at two paintings of geisha women, one with a cute little nose and the other with full lips.

As he said all this the gold swirled like a rippling pool on the angels face, finally settling into the face of what looked like a teenage girl. Brown eyes looked out at him through long lashes. Inuyasha grinned from ear to ear. "Yep, I think you're done."

The girl grinned too before bursting out "Woohoo!" She launched herself into the air with her powerful wings, jubilant at finally finding her form. Inuyasha laughed joyfully below at her hyper antics. She stopped mid flight to turn toward him and flash him a beautiful smile. The sun backlighted her making her seem to glow again. She alighted softly next to the child and both sighed contentedly. Their focus on each other was abruptly broken when a noisy game started up nearby. One child held his hands over his eyes in the middle while many other young children went around him in a circle singing a little song.

"What are they doing Inuyasha?" The angel asked floating a little further in the other children's direction.

"They're playing a game called Kagome, Kagome." He sighed. "Before everyone started calling me names, a few kids let me play that game with them. It was kind of fun." He looked down sadly but a moment later his ears, and his spirits perked up. "KAGOME!"

"Huh?" The angel said, taken aback by the unexpected outburst.

Inuyasha was already running over to his mom though. She was just finishing giving the salesman directions on how to get to their house to deliver the fountain.

"Mom! Her name is Kagome!"

"What was that dear?" the hanyou's mother asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"My friend her name is Kagome!" He said tugging on the sleeve of her kimono. Izayoi smiled warmly at her little boy.

"Of course it is sweet heart. Now, why don't you go play? Stay where I can see you though. Don't wander off too far."

Inuyasha took off at a run, laughing with Kagome who joined him. Without noticing it, they had both gravitated near where the other children were playing.

"So how do you like your new body? It's better than just being a glowing blob, huh?"

Kagome smiled and laughed, "Yes, much better. Thank you for helping me with it."

Inuyasha shook his head vigorously, silver hair flying every which way. "I would have gotten bored just seeing you as a blob anyway." They both laughed at that when…

"Hey half breed! Do all of you mutts talk to themselves or just you?" A little wolf demon with blued eyes detached itself from the group of children, which now revealed its self to be pure blooded youkai children.

Inuyasha growled low, recognizing the all too familiar face from school. "Shut up Kouga. I was talking to my friend."

"Who would be stupid enough to be friends with you? Or is your friend so ugly, you're the only friend they can get?" Kouga said sneering as the other youkai children turned and started laughing, pointing, and teasing as well.

The little hanyou's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. His hair lifted slightly from some non-existent wind and his eyes glowed red. He looked up at the other children from those chilling, blood, red eyes as his claws and fangs elongated. The collective group took a step back at the daunting six year old.

"You can make fun of me. You can call me a half breed and ugly and stuff, but NO ONE MAKES FUN OF KAGOME!" Inuyasha's voice had become raspy and deeper, not at all like his usual voice. The children took off running, casting back terrified glances to see if the hanyou child was following them.

Sesshomaru smelled a change in the wind and turned to investigate. A strange smell was coming from his half brother's direction. His eyes widened ever so slightly in shock. His brother had turned full demon? He shook his head, 'that's impossible' he thought. 'He's only a half demon.' As he gazed on a shiver ran up and down his spine. Sesshomaru was afraid of few things if any, yet the sight of his baby brother in this form was making him more than a little nervous.

Izayoi was just walking over to Sesshomaru to tell him to go find Inuyasha so they could leave when she heard the screams of children. Her head snapped in the direction of the noise, fearing the worst. She saw Inuyasha, her Inuyasha, and gasped.

"Oh no! His chain! I didn't get it fixed!" She fished around inside her purse and pulled out a broken chain that had a fang attached to it. She began to run toward her son, kimonos flying, hand outstretched with the fang dangling from the broken necklace when she slowed down, then stopped all together. Inuyasha's little body had pulsed once, twice, then settled back to its normal state.

When Kagome saw Inuyasha's agitated state, she knelt down behind him, wrapped her arms around him, and then wrapped her wings around him as well. Spreading her warmth and calming influence into him, his eyes faded, as did the angry red streaks that had appeared on his cheeks. Soon his fangs and claws retracted to their normal size as well. "Thanks Kagome." He whispered slightly shaken by what he had done, but calming more each second.

"Anytime kiddo." Kagome smiled and unfolded herself to release Inuyasha at last. The little half demon turned around, ignoring all the stares he was getting from passerby, who were going out of their way not to be too close to him, and walked to his mother who still had his chain half outstretched in her hand.

"Hey mom. What's for dinner?" Inuyasha asked as if nothing strange had just happened. Izayoi closed her eyes, dropped into a crouch and yanked a very confused Inuyasha into her embrace. "Mom, are you ok?"

Izayoi wiped away the single tear that fell before her sons could see it. "I'm fine dear. Let's go home and see what we can whip up, ok? Sesshomaru-san, lets head home now." She straightened and held Inuyasha's hand in hers. Inuyasha shrugged and contented himself with walking beside his mother and whispering to Kagome, who had appeared at his side again. Sesshomaru frowned trailing behind his stepmother and half brother. How, could he, Sesshomaru, have been afraid of a little weakling like Inuyasha. He shook his head, 'Such a thing could not be possible. I probably just imagined it.' Still the inu youkai glared at the back of the little half demon child's silver head.

Suddenly Inuyasha's nose twitched, as did his ears. "Hey that's your smell." He blurted out to Kagome.

"What's whose smell dear?"

Inuyasha detached himself from his mother and her question, rushed over to the flower stand and stopped in front of a bouquet. "That's Kagome's scent. She smells like these."

Izayoi took a whiff of the flowers. "They do smell lovely don't they? Those are white roses. Your father used to get them for me all the time. They were my favorite." She smiled sadly.

Inuyasha sniffed at the bouquet again. "Yep, that's her scent all right. Kind of flowery, but sweet too." He smiled at his mom and took her hand again. "Ready?"

Izayoi was still transfixed on the roses when she nodded dreamily. "Yes we'd best be off."

The family headed off again. Sesshomaru following a short distance away.

"When is he just going to give up? He doesn't have any friends. He should just grow up already." As he said this, he pushed the fact to the back of his mind that, though they were now far away from the flower stand, he could still smell the scent of white roses.

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**A/N:**

_Sorry it took so long for the update. That was my own fault. I procrastinate too much. If you guys get impatient, just email me or leave a note telling me to get off my considerable big but and get to updating. I'm dead serious, otherwise I take forever!_

_Anywayz, I can't remember which updates were from what chapters so I'm just going to try and say everyone. Sorry if I miss you. members Members_

**Kittencutie** _and_ **crescentmoon**, _Thanks you guys! You totally rock_.

**FFnet Members**

**AngelWing1138** _and _**KHStennis01**, _thank you guys for having patience with me! _


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